LIFETIME: PREY
by Bulletproof1316
Summary: RiverClan and ThunderClan are in a war- battle after battle; deaths and terror- Dartpaw has to live through all of this. Soon after her father's murder, her mother awakes to her newborn babies GONE. The Clan panics. They were only born the day before! Dartpaw tries to rule out who could've done it... She realizes that she has to test the loyalty of her Clanmates- and herself.
1. ALLEGIANCES

**ALLEGIANCES**

 **ThunderClan:**

 **Leader: Runningstar-** Brown she cat with white spots on her flank and green eyes.

 **Deputy: Acornwish-** Dark ginger tom with dark blue eyes.

 **Medicine Cat: Ashsliver-** dark grey tabby tom with striking blue eyes.

 **Medicine Cat Apprentice: Rainpaw-** Russian blue she-cat with silver tipped paws and grey

eyes.

 **Warriors:**

 **Honeydrop-** beautiful creamy golden pelted she-cat with baby blue eyes.

 **Whiteear-** small brown tabby she-cat with yellow eyes and white ear tips.

 **Sandtail-** white tomcat with a sandy colored tail.

Apprentice: Deerpaw

 **Darkclaw-** light grey tabby tom with weirdly dark-colored claws.

 **Woodpelt-** light tannish-brown tom.

 **Stonewind-** silver tabby she-cat with white paws.

Apprentice: Owlpaw

 **Flamelight-** ginger tabby tom with whitish specks.

 **Amberflight-** amber tabby she-cat with white ears.

 **Toadwhisker-** Brown tabby tom.

Apprentice: Whisperpaw

 **Foxtooth-** brownish ginger she-cat with darker legs and a large scar across her muzzle.

 **Dunewhisker-** Sandy colored she-cat with dark ears and a white chest and brilliant green eyes.

 **Leafwisp-** Golden tabby she-cat.

 **Spiderfoot-** black and white tom.

 **Queens:**

 **Birchtail-** long, lanky greyish brown she-cat with sharp amber eyes.

Kits: Oakkit and Dustkit

 **RiverClan:**

 **Leader: Silentstar-** Dark grey and silver spotted she-cat with grey eyes.

 **Deputy: Beewhisper-** golden tabby tom.

 **Medicine Cat: Ripplewhisker-** Brown tabby with stripes that seem to ripple across his skin.

 **Warriors:**

 **Fernwhisker-** Silver tabby she-cat.

 **Grassfur-** Long-furred tabby tom.

 **Snowthrush-** White, long-furred she-cat

 **Thrushclaw-** Grey tabby tom.

 **Wingedblossom-** high-jumping brown tabby she-cat.

 **Badgerback-** Black she-cat with lighter stripes on her back.

 **Ashdapple-** grey tom with darker dappled spots.

 **Nightfall-** swift, fierce black tabby tom.

 **Whiskerhop-** small, energetic grey tabby she-cat

 **Brightnose-** large white she-cat

 **Shadowshade-** dark brown tom with even darker splotches

 **Fishstrike-** swift dark grey tom

 **Flowertalon-** tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes.

 **Rosewatcher-** brown tabby she-cat with white dots.

 **Tinytail-** scarred white-furred tom with a stump for a tail

 **Apprentices:**

 **Owlpaw-** Small, observant brown tabby tom.

 **Talonpaw-** Fierce golden tabby she-cat

 **Wishpaw-** quiet silver tabby she-cat

 **Queens:**

 **Lightstep-** black she-cat with white paws

kits: Flightkit, Scorchkit, and Brindlekit.

 **WindClan:**

 **Leader: Woodstar-**

 **Deputy: Branchmurmur-**

 **Medicine Cat: Mothfur-**

 **Warriors:**

 **Rocky-**

 **Raccoonstep-**

 **Brightfur-**

 **Cloudwillow-**

 **Silvertooth-**

 **Twigscar-**

Apprentice: Dunepaw

 **Darkwing-**

Apprentice: Silverpaw

 **Hareleg-**

 **Lightheart-**

 **Spottedjump-**

Apprentice: Clearpaw

 **Whiskerjaw-**

 **Elders:**

 **Lambfur-**

 **Horsepelt-**

 **ShadowClan:**

 **Leader: Icestar-**

 **Deputy: Streamjaw-**

 **Warriors:**

 **Mistpool-** dark grey tabby she-cat

 **Mouseclaw-** brown furred tom with large claws

 **Luckyglow-** dark amber she-cat with bright yellow eyes

 **Orangefur-** orange colored tom

 **Rabbitspeed-** speedy black and brown patched tom.

 **Eagletalon-** fierce she-cat with large claws

Apprentice: Blackpaw

 **Soothingwind-** calm, loyal tabby she

 **Emberflame-** dark grey tabby she-cat with fire-colored eyes

Apprentice: Firepaw

 **Windblow-** rare calico tom

 **Thunderpelt-** dark grey tom with white stripes

 **Twigfoot-** brown tabby tom

 **Lakebreeze-** grey tabby she-cat

Apprentice: Pinepaw

 **Moortail-** tan tom with white ears

 **Swampfur-** dark brown tabby she-cat

 **Mosstail-** Golden tabby with a fluffy dark grey tail

 **Cottonbrush-** fluffy white she-cat


	2. PROLOGUE

PROLOGUE

The wind howled through the forest, leaves and trees shaking as if they were a terrified kit in the clutches of an eagle. In this dim twilight, a dark silhouette could be seen. "I thought you'd never come!" The now-apparent figure of a large tomcat snarled at a bush. Another cat slid out of the bush, this time a short, lanky she-cat. "Do not be so impatient, dear little _kit._ You merely came early. We were to meet here at moon-high exactly, and you came before."

"Do not call me _kit!_ I was early only because I promised Silentstar that I would make sure the coast was clear in my shift, before going hunting. RiverClan cats are in high alert. Your followers have been making _quite_ a ruckus, and I barely stopped myself from killing one in the last battle. They are seeming to forget who you are working with." He narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "One would think you are pushing my limit… Seeing how far I could trust…"

"And one would think you're being a bit paranoid!" She giggled, though humor was not in her eyes. She flicked her tail across his nose. "Now, what is the real reason you scheduled this… playdate?" The tom growled lowly.

"I've seemed to have already expressed that. RiverClan is on edge. Silentstar is on edge. They are starting to suspect a traitor is among us- at least, Beewhisper is. He's already brought me into the leader's den to discuss it with our silver-furred kit of a leader. I'm putting my life on the line for this, and you're not making it any better! Apprentices from your pathetic Clan have started targeting me. And I have to believe you have nothing to do with this?!"

"Haha, so funny!" She purred, winding her tail around him.

"What do you think you're doing?!" He growled, though he seemed frozen to the spot.

"Oh, you'll like it…" She licked his ear.

"Get off m-" The tom was cut off as teeth met his neck. He gave a strangled scream before collapsing to the ground, blood pouring over his white chest, staining it dark red.

The she-cat kicked his dying body disgustedly. "What a waste of my time…" She snarled. She washed off the scent in a stream, shook her fur dry, and padded silently back to camp, using the entrance behind the dirtplace to enter her camp and slipped into the warrior's den.

"Where've you been?" said a sleepy voice. She turned her head to see a drowsy, young black and white warrior lifting their head and staring at her.

"Just been to the dirtplace, Spiderfoot…" She gave a convincing yawn. At that, the warrior rolled back over and soon snores could be heard echoing around the den.

 _Mission accomplished, though it took too much time,_ she thought to herself as she settled into a nest, purring and examining her paws.


	3. Chapter 1: Awakening

Dartpaw yawned and opened her eyes. She stretched, before scampering around the sleeping bodies of the other apprentices. She shook her ruffled black fur and padded into the center of camp. "What's going on?" She whispered to Lightstep, her mother, seeing cats gathered around something large in the middle of camp.

"Someone was out hunting- land animals, because the streams are freezing over- and they found a dead body out underneath a tree. He was killed by a _cat!_ The thought of cats breaking the code like this... It's sickening."

"Who was it?" Lightstep and Dartpaw both jumped at the sound of a new voice behind them. They whipped around to face this new cat.

"Talonpaw! You scared me!" Lightstep scolded her daughter.

"Sorry," Talonpaw said, not sounding very sorry, "but seriously, who was the cat who got killed? Can I see?" The golden tabby tried to push through the cats to see.

"Will that cat ever grow up?" Lightstep hissed, but the anger wasn't in her eyes.

A few seconds later, Talonpaw staggered up, eyes glazed over in shock.

"What, who is it?! What's wrong?!" Dartpaw pressed excitedly.

"I-It's… D-... Dad…" She whispered. Lightstep gasped.

"No, no, no, they wouldn't let me see it, they just came back with it a few seconds ago- Stoneclaw, no, no, no!" She muttered to herself, pushing through the crowd to see. Stoneclaw's neck had been savagely bitten into.

Dartpaw watched, mouth agape. "No. No. Noo… Who would, or _could_ kill Stoneclaw?!"

Beewhisper shrugged, padding over to the two apprentices. "The worst part is that he left Lightstep when she's carrying her second litter," he commented.

Talonpaw snarled at him, "He did not _leave_ her, he was brutally _murdered!"_ Beewhisper dipped his head. "Yes, I'm sorry… Stoneclaw was my friend, and I would never imagine that he would abandon us." His eyes darkened. "But we did find something."

Dartpaw stared at him hard. "What did you find?" She asked in a low voice, afraid of what the answer would be. Beewhisper noticed her concern. "No, nothing about Stoneclaw exactly, so don't worry, but… We found a scent on him. We aren't exactly sure, but it might be ThunderClan scent.

They turned to see Owlpaw and Wishpaw pushing through the crowd toward them. "Those sick-minded monsters!" Owlpaw's brown muzzle was twisted into a savage snarl. "Let's teach them a lesson!" He were mews of agreement through the Clan. "Owlpaw has a point," Wishpaw murmured, "as they took out one of our strongest warriors."

"I say battle!" Whiskerhop yowled. Nightfall, Dartpaw's mentor, yowled in agreement.

Silentstar stalked up to the cats. "Do you want to lose more lives?!"

"If we can defeat ThunderClan, and save the others in this Clan, I would put my life in danger for this," Whiskerhop whispered hoarsely. Nightfall stood up next to her.

"Same with me." Dartpaw scrunched up her face before running over to join them. "Me too!" Owlpaw stepped up, with Wishpaw close behind. Silentstar widened her eyes.

"You are but young apprentices!"

"All due respect, Silentstar, but we are the oldest apprentices," Dartpaw remarked.

"There ARE no other apprentices!" Owlpaw hissed.

"Shut it! Ugh, fine- even if there are no other apprentices, we are, for _apprentices_ quite old."

Beewhisper stepped forward. "We _do_ have enough cats here to take down a patrol… Maybe another warrior should be added, but… It's not such a bad idea. Now, I wouldn't do this for revenge. Many other warriors have been killed. We must still show them that we are not weak!"

Lightstep padded up, hunger for her enemy's pain in her eyes, but she shook her head. "I say it's a good idea, but.. I've already lost my mate. I don't want to lose you three, either!"

Wishpaw shook her head and looked at her mother pleadingly. "No, you do not get it… We will die on our own here. We've seen enough. It is time to end this madness. Please."

"But.. I can't go with you to make sure you'll be safe!" She looked guiltily at her pregnant stomach.

Nightfall glanced at Lightstep and then his apprentice. "Oh, don't you worry, if Owlpaw and Wishpaw are anything like their sister, then they'll get through a battle without a scratch, covered in the blood of their enemies."

"Bit graphic…" Dartpaw muttered, feeling her ear tips burn in embarrassment.

Silentstar narrowed her eyes and turned, running to the middle of camp, next to Stoneclaw's body. "Let all cats old enough to swim gather for a Clan Meeting!" She yowled out the words, but is wasn't much use, as about all of the cats were already out of their dens. "Some of our Clanmates have gotten the idea into their heads to attack ThunderClan! They may or may not be doing it out of revenge, but our Clan is doing it for a different reason. We must make the first move before their cats kill more of us! The battle will commence in a quarter moon-"

"So soon?" A silver tabby stepped forward. Dartpaw recognized her as Fernwhisker, Talonpaw's mentor.

"So _soon?"_ Tinytail, Owlpaw's mentor, exclaimed in an incredulous voice. "Seems to me like a few seasons! I want to rip those mangy pelts off their backs right _now!"_

Silentstar glared harshly down at the two warriors. "May I continue, or do the elders need new bedding?"

"And we can give ya a lot more than that, kitty!" Duskheart yowled at Tinytail.

Tinytail looked away and Fernwhisker nodded.

"Well, as I was _saying_ , we attack in a quarter moon. We will use that time to train. Nightfall, Badgerback, Brightnose, and Fishstrike, you will train offense." The three warriors nodded. "Wingedblossom, Grassfur, Rosewhatcher, and Thrushclaw, you train defense. There will be different shifts- some of you go train offense in the morning, and train defense in the afternoon."

"What about hunting patrols, and herb collecting? We most likely will have injuries in the battle," Beewhisker asked.

"Good thinking! We'll get to that, 'kay? Now, even if you aren't participating in the battle, you still need to learn fighting moves if it comes to that. We need warriors guarding the elders and Lightstep, but they will learn fighting moves easier for them as well. Flowertalon, you had kits during a battle. Teach Lightstep some fighting moves. And you aren't going to fight. You are protecting the nursery. Shadowshade, Snowthrush, Ashdapple- you protect Duskheart and Willowbark, and teach them some moves easy on their joints. Beewhisper, you organize hunting patrols and get the apprentices to help Ripplewhisker with what he needs." With that, she turned and walked back into her den.

"Alright! First things first, go over to Nightfall if you are fighting with the patrol, and over to Willowbark and Duskheart if you aren't."

Dartpaw and her siblings sprinted over to Nightfall. Dartpaw skidded to a stop and looked at the fighting cats: Nightfall, herself, Owlpaw, Wishpaw, Fernwhisker, Tinytail, Rosewatcher, Whiskerhop, Wingedblossom, and Badgerback. She looked over at the nonfighters, surprised to see some of the cats who were going to train cats over there. She scanned them: Brightnose, Thrushclaw, Flowertalon, Grassfur, Snowthrush, Duskheart, Willowbark, Ripplewhisker, Ashdapple, Shadowshade, Fishstrike, and Lightstep. She froze when she saw her mother.

The black she-cat had a mournful expression on her face, and she lifted her tail as if saying goodbye, that she was seeing her daughter for the last time.


	4. Chapter 2: Leaving Town

Dartpaw woke up with a yawn and stretched. She hadn't gotten much sleep that night; she'd been tossing and turning restlessly around in her nest. Wishpaw was up, grooming herself tensely. Dartpaw walked over to her brother and roughly nudged him awake. He groaned and lifted himself groggily from his nest of moss, which, Dartpaw noticed, was slightly torn and messy, like hers.

"Looks like I wasn't the only one with a rough night," She grunted. He just nodded, his eyes regaining seriousness.

"Let's go out. I- I want to say goodbye to Mom befo-before we go." Dartpaw murmured. Her siblings nodded, and the trio padded out of the den.

The camp was silent except for the constant sound of anxious muttering. The black-furred apprentice led her brother and sister to the nursery, where her mother was propped up awkwardly.

"Did Flowertalon teach you anything useful?" Owlpaw meowed in forced cheer, trying to break the silence.

"Enough to keep me alive if we're ambushed- I hope," she sighed.

"Don't worry, Mom. If you're ever hurt, I'll be there for you in an instant, I promise," Dartpaw said hoarsely.

Lightstep gave a small laugh and lifted her daughter's head with her tail. "Don't make promises you can't keep," She purred.

She stayed silent a bit. "I'll come back.. _We_ will come back."

"Now _that's_ a promise you must keep for me, dears."

They nodded. Dartpaw and Wishpaw hastily touched noses with the queen, and Owlpaw licked her ear in goodbye. Dartpaw pricked her ears. "I hear Silentstar's call. We'd better get going." They nodded in unison and padded out of the den together.

"All fighters, go to Beewhisper! The only time to back out is now." Her sharp gaze swept over the warriors and three apprentices, but nobody stepped out. Wishpaw turned to Dartpaw and Owlpaw. "Have you seen Talonpaw anywhere?" Her gaze turned to one of panic.

"She's a-" Owlpaw was cut off as Talonpaw burst into the clearing.

"Patrol by lake. Our side. But we can ambush them, if- if we just circle around.. They're heading to the training clearing, and-and if we're fast enough, w-we can circle around them and close in…" She stammered, panting with exhaustion.

Beewhisker nodded. "Thank you for this information. Now, you are far too tired to battle. Stay here."

"What?! No!" She yelped, ears flattening. "I have to be with Wishpaw, Dartpaw, and Owlpaw! Please!"

He shook his head firmly. "You can protect your mother. Now go! You are holding off the battle!"

She growled and ran to the nursery, and the fighting patrol took off. Soon they reached the training clearing, and sure enough, cats were beginning to file in. Beewhisker made a subtle movement with his ears, and half of them spread out among one side. He flicked his tail, and the same thing with the other half happened.

Beewhisker strode forward to meet the cats. "Hello. Nice walk through RiverClan territory, it seems?"

The lead warrior growled. "None of your business!"

"Oh, but I think it is. I go on a nice stroll and I find some little kits walking through my territory! Better get you home to your mothers, eh?" He jeered.

The warrior snarled and leaped at Beewhisker, but at that moment the deputy yowled, "NOW!"

Warriors burst from the shadows, catching the now-terrified cats off guard. Dartpaw jumped at a tabby. She knocked his paws out from under him and jumped on his back. She leaned on her hind legs and was about to slam her paws down on his back, only to feel teeth meet her shoulder.

She was wrenched off the warrior, and now two toms faced her on each side. She shook free of the one that bit her shoulder and lashed at his face, adding a new scar to his collection. He staggered back, yelling incoherent curses. She then sprung at the other one, knocking him down. He hit his head hard on the ground, and went limp.

"Oh StarClan, no…" She whispered to herself, horrified that she had just killed somecat. She lessened her grip and sheathed her claws, trying to see if he had a heartbeat.

That was her mistake. The tom snapped up and lunged, pinning her to the ground with claws over her throat. "Now, I won't kill you if you give me information…" He grinned cruelly.

"What does Silentstar do that leaves her alone and vulnerable? What are your guard routines? Who is your weakest guard?" She shook her head, starting to choke as he pressed his paw harder onto her neck. She thrashed around, feeling the claws prick through her skin.

"I-I-I know n-n-noth-nothing-" She gasped, gulping for breath.

"Aw, darlin', no need to lie to me. I'm a friend!" His other paw was drawn just below her ear. He dug his claws in, drawing a precise, very deep scar. "Or, if you don't believe me, just think- your Daddy wouldn't want you to be blind!" His claws got nearer and nearer to her eye. "Oh, dear me, how terribly rude! Weak little Stoneclaw's dead, so who cares what he wants?" He jerked his claws over her eye.

A yowl rang through the air. Just before the claws reached the whites of her eyes, the tom was thrown off her. Dartpaw lay frozen in shock. She could feel her eye swelling shut, but it was alright as long as it blocked the blood from getting in her eye or her eye being torn out by the attacker.

"Dartpaw!" Beewhisker yelped, looking down at her. "He didn't get your- you're not bl- are you?"

Dartpaw scrambled to her paws and shook her head, before wincing. "H-he almost did, th-though."

"We should get you out of the battle," he mewed, concerned.

"No!" She snapped fiercely. "I have to help Owlpaw and Wishpaw! If they die out here it's my fault! I promised Lightstep we would come back, and I intend to keep that promise!" She limped away, surprisingly speedy for her injuries.

"Wishpaw! To your right!" A voice yelled. Dartpaw could see Owlpaw tackling a warrior out of the way from Wishpaw. Dartpaw jumped in and joined him, now careful not to fall for the "going limp" trick. She deftly dealt a few painful scratches to the warrior's muzzle and face, before tearing one of their ears. The warrior went limp. She growled. _Is this the only move they know?!_ She thought disdainfully. But Owlpaw didn't know that trick and he leaped off them.

"Dartpaw, get off! He's done!" Owlpaw scorned.

"No! It's a-" She was cut off as the warrior leaped up. But this time Dartpaw was ready. She landed on all four feet and flipped around to face the attacker. They were aiming for Owlpaw's neck. _No, Mom! I can't let you down!_ She told herself desperately, lifting her paw and jumping in the way.

 _Crack._ All she could feel was pain. Her vision was a red haze. She could dimly hear the sounds of the battle going on beyond her mind. Especially the loudest sounds: outraged yowls and a scream. She snapped back to consciousness, thinking it was her scream that tore through the battlefield, but it wasn't. "Wishpaw!" She gasped, hurriedly reaching out a paw to put on her sister's shoulder. "Agh!" She squealed in pain as her leg went _crack_ yet again.

"Dartpaw!" She shouted, nuzzling her sister.

"Ah- Stop!" Dartpaw yelped.

"Sorry! I-I- _We_ thought you were dead! So much blood, though I guess I should've realized there wasn't much on your neck… I.." They both whipped their heads around at the sound of a scream. Owlpaw had pinned the warrior down and was tearing at their shoulders savagely.

"Owlpaw! Stop! They've had enough!" Beewhisker dragged the apprentice off. "Everyone else fled! We won!"

"But what happened to Dartpaw?!" Nightfall said in shock, seeing his apprentice on the ground, covered in blood.

She rolled her head back to look at him. "Uh… I guess I uh…"

Wishpaw giggled. "You look so silly doing that!"

Fernwhisker, Badgerback and the others padded up.

"Sweet StarClan, what in the world happened?" Wingedblossom gasped. "Now you and Badgerback are twins!" Dartpaw looked to see that Badgerback had been less lucky. Her eye was completely clawed over, and her paw was twisted at what looked like the most painful angle you could ever see.

With much hissing and yowling in pain, they got Dartpaw to stand up and lean against her mentor, with Beewhisper, Owlpaw, and Wishpaw never leaving her side. They trekked back to camp- very slowly, because of the injured cats.

When Dartpaw stepped into camp, all she could hear were the screams.

 **Yep, always gotta end on those cliffhangers. If anyone reviews this, when you review, include what you think will happen next!**

 **And sorry- I really thought I'd take longer time and be so much more careful with these chapters, but I've been rapidfire writing; there's not much else to do on the weekends.**


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